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Transforming A Water Garden Into A Rock Garden

In addition to some much needed exterior attention out front of Harmon House, we've also been doing some maintenance in the back yard and for the deck during the Spring. Even a quick de-weeding has helped to transform an eyesore Jeff had originally wanted
to rip out, and now he likes (go figure?). He likes it so much now, he even came home Saturday with a solar powered spotlight for this new garden. The previous owners had a
duel-pond water feature, I thought could be saved, or converted into
something else, like a rock garden. So the Sunday after we had mulched
the front yard, we came to the back yard, and just started pulling weeds
from the eyesore (I even saw my first snake!). I already had a few
colored flowering plants I had thought I would use by the potter's shed,
but instead, I put them to better use for this previous water feature
transformation. As we pulled the weeds, I took a step back to visualize
what this garden feature could be. Jeff had commented he didn't care for
the two red stepping stones, so I first removed them, and brought those
over to his herb / vegetable garden.

The front curve of
the space looked like a great place for some small boulders, which I
already have from our Florida townhouse garden (Movers aren't suppose to
move rocks and plants, but we packed these into boxes ourselves, and they didn't see them -
from FL to AZ and from AZ to NC!) This was also a way I could bring my
interior styling of reusing existing pieces, and even telling our home
story, now into the (rock) garden.

Back in April (for
Easter), Jeff had brought home two pink flowering hanging baskets (I
think they are called morning glories). I cut off the plant hanger
straps, and I had set them out front for Easter, but since I wanted the
front yard to just be crisp greens & white, I brought them to the
rock garden, placing them in between the Florida small boulders. But
before adding rock ground cover, the space still needed something else -
More GREEN - So I brought over some ground covering plants I had picked
up at Lowe's (originally I thought I was also going to use out the front).

Jeff
cut the ground-cover barrier with a spade, and I planted the green
ground covering. One of our neighbors, who had complimented us earlier on the
difference we were making out front, came over to see what we were up to
now (he is also the HOA President) - and told us about how the water feature often got clogged,
backed, up, and how he had killed 6 snakes between our yards last year (but none
since we've cleaned up!) When I said we were turning it into a rock
garden, he said there were some big boulders down the hill, if I wanted,
he could get. So off him and Jeff went, down the hill, into the wild
greens and thanks to a wheel barrow the neighbor had, together they
brought up this HUGE boulder. Now we have a NC rock to go with our FL
rocks :)

Rather than tear out the pools, I planned those for simple white marble chip rocks (I used to use
in FL and AZ), but for the main coverage, I wanted something different.
I saw peach pea gravel and something similar to Jersey shore stones,
but I didn't like them for this (I wanted to stay neutral) so I selected
a drainage rock that is grey, and hey, it was on sale at Lowe's! Since
we don't own a wheel barrow (yet!) Jeff just backed the truck down to the
garden to unload (and help save our backs!!)

He placed the bags and
unloaded - I helped spread the coverage, only to find out, of course, we
needed a few more bags. Eventually, I'd like to add two clay
kettle-like pot / planters, similar to what I had in Florida, along with a contrasting medium sized rock boarder, and maybe even a Japanese Maple for color
contrast. But for now, just this minimal clean-up and TLC made a huge
difference to a back yard eye sore (for the neighbors too!!)The new garden we made, including a few existing plantings we did leave, is really enjoying the TLC because now it's blooming like crazy! So much nicer to look at from the deck in the morning, or the kitchen window, and even for the neighborhood walkers, because this can be seen from the road.

For the medium sized rock boarder, I visited a local landscape yard called Preferred lawn & Garden, who sells and delivers scoop loads of gravel rocks, brick chips, boarder rocks, and even mulch (good to know for next Spring!) The boarder rock I liked is called Rip Rap Rock - a grey, black / white speckled rock, I'd like to mix with some black granite rocks, striped with white quartz - but, that will be for new Spring (or maybe the Fall).

Along the lines of what the old water garden can look like, transformed into a rock garden in the back yard... See more of this beautiful garden at tradgardsflow.blogspot

In the morning, I've been watering the plants, and each day, there is a new bloom...

Although I'd prefer shades of purple, these lilies are still much prettier than looking at weeds - Pacing ourselves, I can replace these next Spring (and maybe pot them to give to a neighbor I saw who has orange in their garden).

Love these!

For right now, the rock garden transformation was a minimal expense (under $100) including:

20% off grey drainage rock (at approx $3 a bag x12)

5 for $10 white marble chips

$16 for 8 - $2 ground coverings

4 for $10 plants

2 tall plants at $4 ea.

1 solar spotlight

5 repurposed FL medium boulders (free!)

1 large NC boulder (free!)

plus some TLC, sunshine and water

Later:

Add a medium rock boarder

a Japanese maple

2 terracotta planter pots with purple annuals

Eyesore Before

I wish the hibiscus would bloom, but it's not really meant for this zone. Hibiscus are more tropical (I'd see them like crazy in Florida - but here in NC, the temps drop well below 40, and they don't like being in those cold temps - especially the snow). But at least it did come back with green life. Transforming the water garden into a rock garden means less mosquitoes (and other critters + maintenance) and I'd imagine, a savings on the electric bill as well.

Hello and Welcome to Focal Point Styling! I'm Lynda - sharing simple solutions to style your home, fashion & decor trends, savvy shopping tips, market events, plus local love from the places I've lived. I started this blog back in late 2009 when I lived in Miami. In 2011, I moved to Phoenix, AZ and rented a house until late 2014, when I relocated back east to the Triad in North Carolina - Join me on my journey!

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Hello and Welcome to Focal Point Styling! I'm Lynda - sharing simple solutions to style your home, fashion & decor trends, savvy shopping tips, market events, plus local love from the places I've lived. I started this blog back in late 2009 when I lived in Miami. In 2011, I moved to Phoenix, AZ and rented a house until late 2014, when I relocated back east to the Triad in North Carolina - Join me on my journey!

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"The way to get good is to get interested. The way to get great is to get downright fascinated and passionate. Imagine being completely intrigued, and so passionate about something that you simply can't get too much of it. When you can do that in some particular field of expertise or endeavor, you can accomplish anything you choose to accomplish in that area."